KFTC will be pilot site with Climate Justice Alliance

KFTC has signed on to become a pilot site for the Climate Justice Alliance, a coalition of 40 organizations and networks working together to create a new analysis and a new “center of gravity” in the policy conversation about climate – informed by impacted communities.

During its annual retreat May 30-31 in Benham, the KFTC Steering Committee hosted a multi-state delegation of Climate Justice Alliance members for an exchange and discussion about shifting the political landscape to give impacted communities more of a voice.  

Friends from CJA had been in Kentucky the few days prior as part of a Chorus Foundation grantee convening. During that convening, they learned more about coal, energy and transition work in Kentucky and visited with folks leading transition work in Whitesburg, Benham and Lynch.

“I’ve been a great admirer from afar of KFTC,” said Miya Yoshitani of Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). “I feel so lucky to have been part of the site visit … to be here with the people in the place.” She said she was impressed by the depth and strategic nature of KFTC and allies.

“Kentucky is a rich case study for us to glean inspiration, education and information,” said Cindy Wiesner of Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. “I’m excited to tell the story of Kentucky and the work that is happening here and connect that to the work with the people and place I come from.”

CJA formed to unite frontline communities, combine book smarts with street smarts, and aggregate power to collectively fight at a higher level.

“We formed the Climate Justice Alliance because we realized we needed to get together around a just transition framework, around a shared vision and solutions that are truly needed.”       Michelle Mascarenhas-Swan Movement Generation

“We may not know everything on the periodic table, but we know enough … We know what impacts our communities,” said Michael Leon Guerrero, national coordinator of CJA.

CJA launched the Our Power Campaign last year at Black Mesa, Arizona, and KFTC members Elizabeth Sanders and Carey Grace attended the gathering of communities from around the country affected by coal extraction. CJA is holding two Our Power gatherings this summer in Detroit and Richmond, California, in preparation for a People’s Climate Summit in New York in September that’s expected to draw 250,000 people.

Like KFTC, groups within CJA are working for a just transition beyond their coal-dominant economy. They hope to develop local models of just transition that can be scaled up.

“Our groups have been forced to play within the current political reality of what’s feasible, which we all know isn’t anywhere near what’s needed,” said Michelle Mascarenhas-Swan of Movement Generation. “We formed the Climate Justice Alliance because we realized we needed to get together around a just transition framework, around a shared vision and solutions that are truly needed.”

Guerrero gave an overview of the current landscape around climate change.

“The United Nations’ solution is something they call the ‘green economy.’ That’s their word for more-of-the-same,” Guerrero said. “The new trend around the world is commodification of carbon and clean air. Corporations can now buy up land in the global south, grow trees and get credits for continuing to burn fossil fuels in the industrial world. That is supposed to save us.”

As the climate crisis intensifies, so does the quest for fossil fuels, Guerrero said. “All the fuels that could be accessed easily have been exploited. So now we see an explosion of more extreme approaches, including natural gas fracking and the push for deep sea drilling and mining. Fossil fuel companies are lining up for rights to mine under the ice as the Arctic and Antarctic melt.”

Guerrero noted there are multiple strategies to take on these challenges. One set of strategies is being led by groups like CJA and other frontline communities around the world.

The CJA delegation described three ways for organizations to engage in the work: participate in working groups such as capacity and technology, bring in other organizations to build cross-sector coalitions, and help develop pilot sites to advance the model of a just transition.

“For us to be able to scale this up, we have to show that a just transition is possible,” Guerrero said.

These ideas resonated with KFTC Steering Committee members.

“We don’t have any more excuses,” said Rosanne Klarer of Scott County. “We have to have the political will.”

“It’s about building empowerment of the people,” said Nina McCoy of Martin County. “I have a place here.”

The alliance wants to expand to key regions where transition work is being done. Because of KFTC’s ongoing work on transition and its network of local partners, CJA asked KFTC to join as a pilot site.

“We’re building our power,” said Wiesner. “It’s being done in Appalachia, in the Navajo nation, in Detroit. Part of the strategy to win is to show places where we’ve demonstrated something different.”

KFTC Steering Committee members asked what it means to be a pilot site – how it would affect funding, staff capacity and other factors.

CJA delegates explained that the vision is to create regional transition hubs and eventually lead a national legislative campaign for a just transition. Pilot organizations may be asked to send delegates to serve on the CJA steering committee.

Benefits for pilot sites include connecting with and learning from other organizations working for climate justice and gaining exposure for their work.

Yoshitani of APEN said her organization has not had to change its work to be a member of CJA. “CJA is helping me make my organizing work more effective.”

The Steering Committee voted to pursue the partnership with CJA and serve as a pilot site. Members prioritized learning more about:

• who are allies in Kentucky for shaping the messages around climate change

• using storytelling to talk about climate

• ways to discuss climate issues in classrooms

• pushing back against the jobs versus the environment frame

• how climate change affects Kentucky.